Severus Snape and the Severely Sentimental Sequel
by TwoCrazyGirls
Summary: A continuation of Art's interesting life with her favourite Potions Master. Unfortunately, he isn't Potions Master anymore, and they're trying to live a quiet life out of the wizarding world's reach...


_Well here's the first installment of the next story including Art. Unlike the first one, this has absolutely nothing dark in it; it's just a series of interesting episodes of Snape and Art's life together after the fall of Voldemort. That's right! Pure comedy! This story will be updated as inspiration comes to me, so feel free to offer your own ideas if you want to see something happen to (or between) them. Enjoy!_

Both the man and the woman in the bed seemed fascinated with the ceiling as they stared at it, but they were really only avoiding having to look at each other. It wasn't as if they disliked each other; indeed, it was quite the opposite, but they were in the middle of one of those awkward silences, and neither of them was sure exactly what to say.

The woman looked rather young, although by now she was well on the wrong side of thirty. Her face was round and friendly, and she had curious grey eyes and a small nose. Her wide mouth almost always smiled, making her appear quite a bit younger than she really was.

The man was pretty much her opposite. He disliked smiling, although he could not say he was unhappy. He had a rather long, hooked nose and black eyes that always seemed to be piercing one's soul. His narrow face was gaunt and almost skull-like, advancing him well beyond his years.

"Well?" He finally spoke in a deep drawl.

"What?" The woman replied in a friendly murmur.

"What did you think?"

She responded hastily, "Let's paint the ceiling. White is so boring."

The man glowered, muttering, "You always avoid that question."

The woman shrugged, "Sorry."

He sat up, "Will you stop apologizing?" He asked in a raised voice.

"Sorry," she replied.

He sighed and returned to a defeated prone position, pulling the sheets up to his chin. "You're too timid," he grumbled.

"Sor—" the woman was silenced by a glare from him, and she suddenly retorted, "You're such a grump!" and knocked his smug expression from his face with her pillow.

He merely blinked then pointed out, "You're too kind."

"Only because I run out of things to call you," she groused, staring at the ceiling again.

After another moment of silence, the man edged nearer and put his arms carefully around her waist, kissing her on the temple. "I love you," he smiled, which made him look ten years younger.

The woman smiled and reached back, patting his head. "I love you too," she mumbled, already half asleep.

"Goodnight, Quinn," he murmured.

"'Night, Severus," the woman replied.

x…x

Artemis Quinn Snape woke up early that morning, but she was not early enough to catch Severus Snape still in bed. She heard a slight scuffling downstairs and followed the sound, which led her to the kitchen.

Most wives are pleasantly surprised when they find their husband downstairs in the kitchen making breakfast for the both of them. Art was neither. She asked, "Why don't you ever let me make breakfast?"

Snape merely pushed a plate of pancakes toward her, flipping an egg onto the plate as he replied, "I remember all too well what happened the last time."

"I thought you liked your bacon well-done," Art grumbled.

"Not when it's been reduced to its original elements."

"It was crispy!" Art defended herself indignantly.

Snape looked up and raised an eyebrow, "It was black."

"Perfectionist," Art shot at him.

"Arsonist," Snape replied just as quickly.

Art suddenly began to laugh and started on her pancakes, noting with chagrin that the food was really good. Snape seemed to have a talent for looking at instructions on how to make something, ignoring them, and making something better. Art was thoroughly jealous, having to follow the instructions to the letter if she wanted anything to turn out at all.

"Do you cook because you miss potions?" Art asked curiously.

"No. I cook because you can't."

"I doubt you cook for such altruistic reasons."

"Altruistic? Quinn, I simply cannot stomach your food!"

"But you must like to cook, otherwise you'd hire someone to do it for you."

"No, I wouldn't. I like my money."

"So you like cooking _and_ money," Art replied knowingly.

"No, I just like money more than I hate to cook."

"I could learn to cook sometime," Art suggested.

"No."

"So you like to cook," Art grinned when Snape frowned, realizing that she was leading him in circles.

"Alright, Quinn! I enjoy cooking…to some extent," he admitted.

"Ha," Art gloated smugly, stuffing a piece of egg into her mouth.

Snape merely groaned in reply.

After a few moments of silently eating, Art asked cheerfully, "So when are you going into work today?"

"Four. Like always."

"Oh," Art replied. She leaned on the table, a faraway look in her eyes. "You know, I always wanted to be a chef when I was a kid…or a mermaid." She giggled, "I was a strange child."

Snape raised an eyebrow, "Was?"

Art frowned, "I heard that." She made a face at him and added, "You've always been so stiff and formal. I don't think you even had a childhood. You've been old since you were born."

"That's probably true," he agreed mildly.

"What did you want to be as a kid?" Art suddenly asked.

"I wasn't sure."

"Well what's your dream job now?"

"I'm not sure," he shrugged.

"Don't you like being a chef?"

Snape merely sighed and stated, "I'm a sous-chef."

"Why are you a chef if you don't even like it?"

"I never said I didn't like it," he snapped, his face pensive.

"So you _do _like it, but it's not your favourite job?" Art was only slightly confused.

"Correct."

"Well what would you rather do?"

"I'm not sure," he replied again.

Art shrugged, "Okay. As long as you aren't miserable…"

"I'm not," he assured her.

Art smiled as he put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her. "Good." After a short silence, Art spoke up again. "Oh, I got another letter from my parents. Justine's visiting them with her husband, and they want us to come visit soon. I was thinking we could go sometime next week…" Art trailed off, looking worriedly at Snape.

"Severus, what's wrong?"

"_Now_ I'm miserable," he moaned.


End file.
